Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 1 | Page 8

from the
religious opinions, rites, and observances, of the nations scattered over
North America, proofs of a similitude to other people, or to accumulate
data for the opposite belief. It was very difficult to discover a man so
eminently gifted and taught, and the Society found themselves heavily
burthened with the search. Nevertheless one was at length found,
imbued to a reasonable degree with the requisite qualities in the person
of M. Philippe Verdier, of the city of Nanci. They applied to him to
undertake the proposed mission, and he consented, protesting,
according to custom, his utter unworthiness, and his belief that France

had many sons more competent to the task than himself.
M. Verdier had studied in his youth, with the view of becoming a priest,
and was profoundly skilled in the learning proper for that vocation.
Afterwards, when he had abandoned all thoughts of entering the
priesthood, he served in Holland under Condé, and there, and in many
other countries, in succeeding wars, acquired the character of a valiant
soldier and expert tactician. Excellence in poetry and metaphysics came
to him naturally, and a thorough acquaintance with languages, both
dead and living, by laborious study and prolonged travel. He had
resided some time in the Australasian islands and those of the Pacific
Ocean, and had travelled over the Peninsula of Malacca and the Island
of Madagascar. He had thence brought numerous things which have
since been of great service to philosophers, in explaining difficulties
and solving problems connected with the antiquities and history of the
western aborigines. His museum of curiosities contained a feathery
mantle such as were found enwrapping the American mummies, a pair
of mocassins made of the rind of plants, curious carvings which were
pronounced by the French savans to resemble much the pieces of
sculpture brought by M. Jaques de Numskull from the Ohio, and a
human cranium or two, to which were added a Madagascar
humming-bird, and a Malacca pepper plant. From the nature of these
acquisitions, he was supposed to be well qualified to decide upon the
merits of that part of the theory of the indigenous inhabitants of
America, which represents the extinct race as descended from the
Malays of eastern Asia!!!
M. Verdier was quite as well qualified to act upon the other theory. He
had travelled to Tartary in the suite of the French ambassador, and
resided some years at the court of the Great Khan, where he had
acquired the Tartar language, and become deeply learned in the history
and customs of that ancient people. He had taken numerous drawings
of their physiognomy and features, and many casts of Tartar visages.
With a view to learn their opinions of the Deity, and a future state, he
had officiated for a full year as the conjuror or powwow of a tribe.
When he returned to Europe, he brought with him a couple of human
teeth, a pipe, a bow and arrow, a jackall, a wild sheep, a sharp-nosed,

thievish Siberian cur, with his sleigh and harness, and a very pretty
Samoyede girl, the last with a view to ascertain the peculiar cast of
features and shade of complexion which should mark a half-breed,
which he was so fortunate as to possess in a short time thereafter,
together with a couple of copies to bestow upon his friends.
It was a singularly lucky circumstance that the learned association were
apprised in season of the merits of M. Verdier. There was not another
man in France so well qualified to perform the generous behests of the
Society, and to prosecute their enquiries to a beneficial result. It would
seem as if he had aimed his studies, directed his researches, timed his
travels, and planned his occupations, with a kind of presentiment, that
he should in time be called to the very task he undertook. Indeed some
have said that there was an actual precognition of it, by means of a
vision, while he was yet a student in theology with the Abbé Guissot.
But, the Society, upon the motion of a learned member, caused their
doubts of the truth of the story to be placed upon record.
Previously to the departure of M. Verdier, a special meeting of the
Society was called, and a committee of thirty members appointed to
prepare suitable directions, in the form of interrogatories, for his
guidance. They were to report on two different sets, the first (A.) which
were to relate to the ancient inhabitants of the country; the second (B.)
to the race who were its then possessors. After a sitting of twenty days
in the hall of the Sorbonne, the Committee reported on the papers A.
and B., which were accepted without debate.
A.
1. He was to ascertain when the tumuli, or mounds, were built,